First Lady Michelle Obama Gives Honors to After-School Arts Programs

Calling a group of artistic youth the “next generation of fabulous,” First Lady Michelle Obama presented national arts and humanities awards to 12 after-school programs from across the country and one program from Honduras in Central America.

Honorees included a musical theater program co-created by Comedian Rosie O’Donnell that serves low-income students in New York City.

The first lady presented the awards Tuesday, Nov. 17, to recognize the nation’s best youth programs that use arts and humanities to develop skills and increase academic achievement. She awarded honors to programs that teach ceramics, dance, music, writing, science, and more. Each of the U.S. programs will receive $10,000.

The annual White House ceremony included a live performance from the winning program, A Commitment to Excellence, or ACTE II. The New York group performed a song and dance medley including, “I Got Rhythm,” “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” and “Empire State of Mind.”

“Wow…that wasn’t singing, that was ‘sanging,’” the first lady quipped, referring to the group which she predicted is destined for Broadway.

Obama urged continued funding and support for arts and humanities programs, which, she said, also teach students problem-solving, teamwork, and discipline.

“There are millions of kids like these with talent all over the place, and it’s hidden and it’s untapped and that’s why these programs are so important,” the first lady said. “We wouldn’t know that all this existed without any of these programs, and that would be a shame.”

The 2015 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards are hosted by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities in partnership with three national cultural agencies.

The 13 programs recognized with a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award during the White House ceremony are: